Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 10 1 2 3 9 10
#8155 10/16/00 10:28 AM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1
K
Kmeson Offline OP
stranger
OP Offline
stranger
K
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1
Hi -
A number of my regular news sources have used
the word 'wonk' recently, mostly in reference to Al Gore.
The context suggests this is a mildly disparaging comment
on a generally bookish approach towards issues. Where
did this word come from? In high school I was, by
default, a collector of similar epithets and never
was called, er. I mean, ran across this one.

N


N
#8156 10/16/00 03:07 PM
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
.wonk tno'd I

dET



TEd
#8157 10/16/00 06:14 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
a wonk is a person who works or studies too much; usually heard in the phrase "policy wonk" ( a wonk is a close relative of the nerd).


#8158 10/17/00 07:27 AM
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 444
B
addict
Offline
addict
B
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 444
According to my father's memory of his childhood (admitteldy a not altogether reliable oral history, but in this instance I at least am not making up stories!) a wonk is a small furry toy closely related to the more common gonk.

ON a separate note, in British English at least, 'wonky' means 'not straight' or 'not the way it should be'.

I am finding it hard to relate either of these pieces of lore to tsuwm's definition.


#8159 10/18/00 10:27 AM
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
R
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
R
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,204
Warm welcome to you, Kmeson, as a fellow devotee to peculiar words.

tsuwm says, a wonk is a person who works or studies too much; I am wondering if "twonk" - a derogatory epithet that I have heard once or twice in UK - has any relationship to this word?


#8160 10/19/00 02:25 AM
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 724
Avy Offline
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 724
... And what does bonk mean?



#8161 10/19/00 03:27 AM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
B
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
B
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891
In comic strips BONK is the sound of somebody getting hit in the head.


#8162 10/19/00 04:44 AM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065
B
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
B
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,065
It is also, in the UK at least, I don't know about other parts of the world, a slang term for having sex.

Bingley


Bingley
#8163 10/19/00 08:23 AM
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,788
The British English adjective "wonky" means unstable or wobbly. Probably no connection. The Australian noun "wanker" means one who masturbates, from the verb "to wank." Probably no connection. An older British usage of "wonk" referred to a recruit seaman who was unreliable in that he had not yet acquired knowledge or skill. Probably no connection, save that both usages are derisive. The earliest American usage probably meant bookish or studious. OED says its been around since 1962. Webster claims a use in 1954. The term evolved to mean someone with remarkable expertise in a very narrow field. Erich Segal used it in "Love Story" in 1970, to wit: "Who could Jenny be talking to that was worth appropriating moments set aside for a date with me? Some musical wonk?". I think it has lost nuance and come to mean "nerd."








#8164 10/19/00 10:28 AM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,346
F
veteran
Offline
veteran
F
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,346
"twonk" - a derogatory epithet that I have heard once or twice in UK

Interesting; I'd thought twonk a fairly local, little-used epithet, RC. Definitely a favourite of mine, often self-attributed in moments of frustration!
Used pretty much as "git" (the UK noun rather than the US verb), with roughly the same degree of offensiveness. Maybe there's a dash of "twit" in there too.

Seems to me that, like wonk, twonk can be applied to people with pretensions who try to make a big impression and fail abysmally - probably because they are trying too hard.

Derogatory terms, of course, are notorious for escaping their original definitions!

I think the value of favourite derogatory terms is in their sound rather than meaning as such. The flip side of "phonaesthetics" perhaps?

(anyone interested see the "antonym for onomatopoeia" thread for Bingley's reference to phonaesthetics)




Page 1 of 10 1 2 3 9 10

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,580
Members9,187
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 332 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,713
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,931
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5